An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the booke of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus neare the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...

Vers. 37. For he addeth rebellion (or trespass) to his sin.

* 1.1Here are two words, sin and rebellion; the first which we ren∣der sin, signifies sin in common; the least transgression of the Law it is sin; the least vaine thought of the heart, the least idle word of the tongue is sin; but every sin is not rebellion; that hath ma∣ny speciall markes or brands rather upon it. To rebell is to sin with a high hand, to rebell is to sin with a stiff neck, to rebell is to sin with obstinacy and resolvedness of will; he addeth rebellion to his sin. But did Job rebell indeed? I conceive the rebellion which Elihu chargeth Job with, is not rebellion in a strict but in a quali∣fied and comparative sense; As if he had said; Job sinned before, but now his sin is heightened, we see him now (in words) rising up against God, complaining of his justice, or as if he had dealt unjust∣ly with him. What he did in the time of his prosperity, those slips & falls which he had then, weighed nothing as laid in the ballance with the intemperate speeches which he hath uttered in the day of his trouble. He addeth rebellion unto his sin. So we render as respecting what he was and had done before. Others render it po∣tentially not indicatively; Let Job be tryed unto the end, because of his answers for wicked men, for otherwise he may adde rebellion to his sin; we know not whether his corruptions may carry him if suffered to goe onne. This is a more favourable reading of the

text, not as a charge of naturall but feared rebellion against God; As if he had sayd, I see the mans spirit is so entangled, that if he be not well and wisely dealt with, possibly he may come to adde even rebellion unto his sin; and whereas he sinned before out of ignorance or imprudence, he may shortly sin out of contumacy and perverseness.

Hence Note.

First, There are sins of severall degrees.

Every man sinneth, he that saith he hath no sin, or doth not sin, there is no truth in him (1 John 1.8.) But every mans sin is not rebellion, every man doth not rise up to that height and degree of sinning. If any shall enquire, when is a mans sin rebellion? I an∣swer.

First, That mans sin grows to be rebellion, whose will is much in it. He that will sin rebells. The Apostle Paul saith (Rom: 7.19.) The evill which I would not, that I doe. This is the case of every godly man at his best, he doth those evills which he would not; this is not rebellion, because the will of a godly man is chan∣ged and turned off from sin; he can say, the evill which I would not doe, that doe I. Rebellion is the doing of that evill which we would.

Secondly, In rebellion, or in rebellious acts of sin, there is much of the understanding as well as of the will; that is, a man seeth cleerely what he doth is sin, or that the rule is against him; to rebell is to sin against the light. It is sayd in the 24^th Chap∣ter of this booke, The wicked are of them that rebell against the light; that is, they cannot abide the light; he means it there of the naturall light; the adulterer and the thiefe cannot indure Sun or day-light: it is much more true of mysticall light, if he hath any light of knowledge, he resists and rebells against it. Its great rebellion to resist the receiving of light offered, but 'tis greater rebellion to resist light received; sins against knowledge are re∣bellious sins.

Thirdly, A rebellious sin is a sin against reproofe, admonition and warning; when we have been often told of such a sin, and ad∣monished of such an evill course, and yet we will goe on in it, here is rebellion; such a man hath not only light in his under∣standing, that what he doth is sinfull, but this light hath been

brought home to him and wrought upon him by reproofe, coun∣sell, and admonition; here is still greater rebellion. Therefore in the proceeding of the Church, spoken of (Math: 18.) when an offending brother hath been reproved and told of his fault, first in p••ivate by a particular brother, then by two or three, then by the whole Church; if after all these admonitions and reproofes, he doth not repent, he is to be cast out as a rebel, and accounted as a heathen or a publican.

Lastly, As 'tis rebellion when we sin as against the reproofes of man, so against the providences of God; and those of two sorts.

First, When we sin against the favourable providences of God, I meane those which are outward; when God bestows many mer∣cies and comforts upon us, when he gives us health and riches in the world, and fullnesse of all things, then to sin against him is rebellion. (Deut: 32.15.) Jesurun waxed fat and kicked, and rebelled against the Lord, and lightly regarded the rock of his sal∣vation. When we have received many and great mercies, then to grow vaine and wanton, and nourish our selves as in the day of slaughter, this is rebellion against God.

Secondly, When the providences of God have broken us by this evill or that evill, when we are broken in our estates, broken in our names, broken in our relations, broken with sickness af∣ter sickness, and yet persist in a sinfull way, this is rebellion, this is sin in the very height of it. This was the rebellion of A∣haz (2 Chron: 28.22.) Who in the time of his distresse, tres∣passed yet more against the Lord. And this was the rebellion of Judah (Isa: 1.5.) Why should ye be strieken any more? ye will re∣volt more and more. Take heed of this; 'tis too much that we sin at all, let us not be found adding rebellion to our sin. I may say these two things concerning the habit or any act of sin.

First, It is a burthen to a Godly man; O wretched man that I am (sayd Paul) who shall deliver me from this body of death?

Secondly, As it is a Godly mans burthen when he sins, so it is his care and study not to sin; he would not sin at all; he watcheth himselfe that he may not sin in the least degree. That was the Apostle Johns desire and care for all the Churches (1 John. 2.1.) My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not. I would have you watch over your hearts and wayes so narrowly,

that no sin might slip you; that ye might not have a wrong thought, nor speake an idle word; how much more should we take heed, that we adde not rebellion to our sin. There is some∣what of rebellion in every sin, even in the sins of good men; but 'tis sad when they adde rebellion to their sin. Samuel gives a dreadfull description of that sin which is rebellion (1 Sam: 15.23.) Rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft, and stubbornness is as Iniquity and Idolatry. Witch-craft is that sin wherein men have much converse and compliance with the devill; The devill and the witch, or the devill and the Diviner (as our Margin hath it) act as loving companions; they have mutual converse, yea com∣merse, they trade together. Rebellion is that sin, or we sin re∣belliously, when we declare our selves most averse to God. The witch declares himselfe a friend to the devill; the rebellious soule defieth and despiseth God; now those sins that have most compliance with the devill, and most defiance against God, are put together; if a man doth much set himselfe to oppose God, by sinning against light, against reproofes, and against providen∣ces, whether the gracious or afflicting providences of God (If a man (I say) rebell thus against God) it is like the sin of witch-craft, which is compliance and converse with the devill. Here is an extreame on the one side, and an extreame on the other side, yet both meete, rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft, and stubbornness is as Iniquity and Idolatry. These latter words are exegaticall; stubbornness (that is, when a man is stout and will goe on his way) is as Iniquity and Idolatry. We may consider a great ele∣gancy in those words; Stubbornness is as Idolatry. What is Ido∣latry? it is worshipping or giving honour to a false god, which is indeed worshipping the devill; all Idolatry is devill-worship; the witch worshippeth the devill intentionally, and so doth the Idolater, though he intend it not (1 Cor: 10.20.) The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devills and not to God. I doe not say, every error or fayling in worship is devill-wor∣ship, but that which is Idolatry indeed, or the setting up of a worship of our owne devising is Idolatry, and devill-worship. Thus stubbornness is as Idolatry, and rebellion is as witch-craft. What is witch-craft? compliance with the devill. What is Ido∣latry? devill-worship, a falling downe to the devill. Let the wicked consider what they doe when they rebell; and let the

people of God take heed of any sin, or way of sinning, which may be accounted rebellion. To sin with much will against much light, against many reproofs from men, and against the reproving, or against the inviting providences of God, hath rebellion in it; He addeth rebellion to his sin.

Secondly, Taking the words in the mildest sence,

Note.

Sometimes a good man may goe backward, he may be worse and worse, and doe worse and worse.

We should be alwayes growing in grace, that's the condition of believers and their duty, yet under some dispensations they may decline for a time and grow worse and worse, adding that which is like rebellion to their sin.

Thirdly, If we consider these words in connection with the former; Elihu having prayed for further tryall upon Job, as fear∣ing, that else he might adde rebellion to his sin.

Note.

He that is not throughly convinced and chastned, may quickly grow worse and worse.

He may, or he will adde rebellion to his sin. I doe not know where a mans sin will end, if the Lord should let him alone. 'Tis a mercy that any man, especially that God hath a continuall inspection over us; if some mens wayes were not tryed and que∣stioned, they might adde rebellion to their sin; who knows where they would stop? it is a mercy to have both words and actions examined by brethren and Churches, how sadly else would many wander, yea it is a mercy to be tryed by affliction. When God keeps us from a foule way by building a wall against us, it is a mercy, else we might adde rebellion to sin. No man knowes the measure of his owne evill heart, or what it would doe; for though believers have a generall promise to be kept by the power of God to salvation; yet how lamentably have good men ••••llen, though kept from falling away? Elihu aggravates this yet further by the example of Job in the latter and last part of the verse.

He clappeth his hands amongst us, and multiplieth his words against God.

He clappeth his hands, or, maketh a noyse amongst us, as Mr Broughton reads it; clapping of the hands in Scripture hath a three-fold signification.

First, It implyeth passion or sorrow. A man under affliction claps or wrings his hands for griefe. Both those gestures are of the same significancy.

Secondly, There is a clapping of the hands with indignation; when we are very angry, then we clap our hands.

Thirdly, There is a clapping of the hands for joy, or in a way of triumph; when a man thinks he has conquered and got the day, he claps his hands, and so doe they who are on his side. (Psal: 47.1.) O clap your hands (all ye people) shout unto God with the voyce of triumph.* 1.2 I conceive Elihu intends Job clapping his hands in this third sense; he clappeth his hands amongst us, or insults over us, as if he had conquered and wonne the Gar∣land; and therefore Elihu prayed that he might be further try∣ed. This is another aggravation of that ill frame which Elihu conceived Job to be in. And indeed to clap our hands when we have done or spoken evill, is worse then the evill, which we have either done or spoken; He clappeth his hands;

And multiplieth his words (or, may multiply words) against God.

Solomon saith (Pro: 10.19.) in the multitude of words there doth not want sin; that is, there is store of sin in the multitude of words. They that will be speaking much, slip much. Job (saith he) multi∣plyeth words against God. There is a multiplying of words against God two wayes; First, directly; Secondly, by way of reflection or rebound; Elihu could not say, Job had spoken, nor could he pre∣sume he would speak one word, much lesse multiply words a∣gainst God directly. He knew Job was a godly man, but he as∣serts he had, or feared he might multiply words against God re∣flectively, that is, speak such words as might cast dishonour upon God, such words as God might take very ill at his hands, and interpret as spoken against himselfe.

Hence note.

They who speake unduely of the wayes and proceedings of God with them in this world, speake against God himselfe.

The business of Elihu in all this discourse, was to hold forth the evill frame of Jobs heart, signified by the intemperance of his language under the dealings of God. God had afflicted and chastned Job, he had multiplyed wounds upon him, and Job in the heate of his spirit and bitterness of his soule, making many complaints about the workings of God with him, is charged with multiplying words against God. We may speak against God before we are aware; yea we may speake many words against God when we thinke we have not spoke one word against him. While we speake impatiently of the proceedings of God in the world, and murmur at his dispensations to our families or per∣sons, what doe we but multiply words against God? we speake much for our selves to God, yea (I may say) we highly commend our selves to God when we submit to his doings, and say no∣thing, but in a silent admiration adore his dealings, and waite for a good issue of them. Aaron proclaimed both his humility and his faith in holding his peace, when the Lord slew his two sons Na∣dab and Abihu, strangely with fire, for offering strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not (Lev: 10.1, 2, 3.) But how many are there who proclaime their pride and unbe∣liefe, by not being able to hold their peace under the afflicting hand of God, when his hand scarce toucheth them, or when he doth but lay the weight of his little finger upon them, in compari∣son of that heavy stroake which fell upon Aaron. We are in much danger of sinning, when at any time we speake many words, or (as Elihu speaketh) multiply words, he is a rare man that speaketh many words, and but some amiss, Now, if to multiply words at any time (even when we are most composed) exposeth us to error in our words, how much more when our tongues utter many words in the bitterness and discomposure of our spirits? And as to speak amisse in any matter is to s••n against God, so to speak much amisse of our sufferings, or of the severest providences of God towards us, is to speak much, or to multiply words (though nor intentio∣nally) yet really and indeed against God. O then forbeare this multiplication of words, lest you multiply sins. Speak but little, un∣lesse in the praise of God; take heed how you speak of what God is doing to others, or doing to your selves. Let your words be few, and let them be weighed, for God will weigh your words; and you may heare from him in blowes, what he heareth from you

in words. 'Tis a dangerous thing to be found speaking words a∣gainst God; yet this may be the case of a good man, whose heart is with God, and whose heart is for God: even while he hath a general bent of heart to lay himselfe out in speaking and doing for God, he through passion and temptation may be found speaking against God. What we speake discontentedly of the wayes or works of God, is a multiplying of words against God himselfe.

Thus I have given out and finished my thoughts upon the Pre∣face which Elihu made to lead in his discourse with Job, as also upon two stages of his discourse with him. Job sits silent and an∣swers him not a word, which Elihu perceiving takes liberty to urge him further with two distinct discourses more, contained in the three Chapters following; which, if the Lord give life and leave, may be opened and offered to the readers use and accep∣tance in convenient season.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Nomine 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 intelligitur pec∣catum ex erro∣re commissum; Nomine vero 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 scelus propriè rebel∣lio.
• * 1.2

  Explosurus es∣set nos, ut qui vicisset nos di∣sputando. Pisc: